Waterford officers will volunteer their time in Newtown

Three Waterford police officers have volunteered their time to fill shifts in Newtown this week as the western Connecticut town continues to recover from Friday's shooting.

Chief Murray Pendleton said officers responding to a request for assistance will head to Newtown tomorrow to aid the 45-member police department there.

"They have to be inundated with responsibilities associated with this type of incident," Pendleton said.

The aid won't leave Waterford shorthanded, Pendleton said, because officers are going on their own time. Other agencies, too, have volunteered officers, he said, a common occurrence when a town has an event requiring more officers.